Thursday, August 20, 2009

Gonzalez's Lawyer to Contend He Was Not The Kingpin of Heartland, Hannaford Breaches

The attorney for Albert Gonzalez, the man indicted Monday on charges related to the massive data thefts at Heartland Payment Systems and four other retailers, claims it was another member of Gonzalez's gang who was the real leader of the heists.

In an interview with the New York Times, Gonzalez's lawyer, Rene Palomino, said he was prepared to argue that the person who organized the break-ins at Heartland and elsewhere was really Damon Patrick Toey of Miami.

Palomino said Toey is the individual who was identified only as "P.T," an unindicted co-conspirator in Monday's indictment papers. Palomino also told the Times that one of the unnamed Russian conspirators mentioned in the indictment is an individual named Maksym Yastremskiy, who is currently serving a 30-year sentence in a Turkish prison.

Toey was one of 11 individuals, including Gonzalez, who were indicted last year on charges related to the data thefts at TJX Companies Inc., Dave & Busters, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21 and DSW.